Turkey Meatball Sandwiches on Ciabatta Rolls

I bet I had you all fooled didn't I?  I'm sure that by reading my past entries it appears that I all I cook with is butter, sugar, and all things bad.  Well, I hope you see with this recipe that we do eat a healthy balanced diet full of lean proteins, vegetables and whole grains.  Most recipes only get better with additions of butter and olive oil, however it is difficult to take the fat out of a meal and have it still taste good. 

Turkey is a great way to get lean protein that is full of flavor because turkey will absorb any flavor you pair with it. Now I don't want to hear, "gross," or see your nose turn up as you read this.  Ground turkey is delicious and very easy to work with.  Make sure you buy the extra lean turkey that is made from turkey breast meat.  It is much lower in fat and calories than even extra lean ground beef, however if you buy the breast/dark meat blend it is still very low in calories and fat in comparison to beef.

My family loves most recipes with turkey in place of ground beef and these sandwiches were no exception.  I made a tasty new meatball recipe, covered with low fat spaghetti sauce, and topped with low fat mozzarella cheese.  Toast it all under the broiler for even more flavor and paired up with steamed broccoli, you have a fantastic meal. To quote my four year old, "wow, these are really, really, good!"

Turkey Meatball Sandwiches on Ciabatta Rolls
Recipe Source: A Cook's Quest

1/2 c instant oats
1/2 c milk
1 egg white
2 cloves garlic finely minced
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
2 T onion powder or 1/4 c fresh grated onion
1/2 tsp basil (fresh would be even better)
1/2 c lowfat/fat free parmesean cheese
1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce or use homemade
Mozzarella cheese if desired

Combine the oats, milk, egg white, garlic, salt, pepper, herbs and seasonings and cheese.  Let sit for about five minutes so the oats can absorb the milk.  At this point taste the mixture for salt, balance of flavors etc. This is the only chance you have before the raw meat is added. 

Add the turkey meat and combine until well blended.  Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the turkey mixture onto a baking sheet.  Bake the meatballs in a 400 F oven about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.  They will feel very firm to the touch when they are cooked all the way through.

Turn on your broiler. Slice open the ciabatta rolls and place under the broiler to get toasty.  Spread about 1 T of sauce on the bread, place meatballs on top (we slice our's in half so they don't roll off the bread), cover with more sauce and top with a few tablespoons of lowfat mozzarella cheese.  Return sandwiches to the broiler and toast until the cheese is melted and starts to brown.  Top with the other half of your bread, and slice in half.  Pair with your favorite vegetable and enjoy!

Total Cost $3.85
Oats $.08
Milk $.09
Egg White $.09
Seasonings and Herbs $.10
Parmesean Cheese $.50
Spaghetti sauce $.50
Mozarella cheese .$50
Turkey $1.93
Ciabatta Rolls $.55